Higher Education News and In-Depth Reporting

UConn, unsatisfied with its alumni association, engineers a change

by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas March 9, 2015 @ 1:58 pmMarch 4, 2022 @ 10:35 pm

Updated at 7:30 p.m. Monday
Under pressure from University of Connecticut President Susan Herbst, the school’s alumni association board has voted to dissolve its relationship with UConn and is considering how to pass on its functions and distribute its $9.2 million in assets.

Education

Contracting watchdog concedes it has limited oversight of UConn

by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas March 6, 2015 @ 5:31 pmMarch 4, 2022 @ 10:35 pm

Members of the watchdog board that oversees state contracting are not convinced they have the authority to investigate most complaints made against the University of Connecticut.

Education

College financial aid for ‘Dreamers’ gains key support

by Alban Murtishi March 5, 2015 @ 6:42 pmMarch 4, 2022 @ 10:34 pm

Momentum is growing in Connecticut to open the college financial aid spigot to some undocumented immigrants — the so-called “Dreamers” — who have won the support of two key allies, the governor and the leader of the state Senate.

CT Viewpoints

Media imbalance gives too little attention to CSCU

by Sarah Greco March 2, 2015 @ 5:25 amMarch 4, 2022 @ 11:45 pm

The apparent imbalance in media attention to funding Connecticut’s 17 state colleges compared to UConn is fairly well representative of the inequality in state support. This is especially concerning, because it is the oft-forgotten CSCU schools which are truly in need at this moment.

Education, Politics

Esty wins on STEM bill

by Ana Radelat February 25, 2015 @ 5:43 pmAugust 1, 2022 @ 1:43 pm

WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday easily approved a bill sponsored by Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-5th District, that would promote the teaching of science, technology, engineering, or STEM, disciplines in the nation’s schools.

Education, Politics

UConn president says cuts could mean layoffs, eliminating programs

by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas February 24, 2015 @ 1:48 pmAugust 1, 2022 @ 1:43 pm

University of Connecticut President Susan Herbst told state legislators Tuesday that she could be forced to lay off staff, seek concessions from her unionized workforce and make drastic cuts in programs if state funding is cut by $10.6 million, as the governor recommends.

Education

UConn asserts contracting watchdog has only limited power over it

by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas February 23, 2015 @ 5:33 amMarch 4, 2022 @ 10:37 pm

The University of Connecticut has told the watchdog agency that oversees state contracting that it has only limited authority to investigate allegations made against the school. “The constituent units [of higher education] are not ‘state contracting agencies’” under the law, UConn’s Office of the General Counsel wrote to the state Contracting Standards Board in an email earlier this month.

Education

CT colleges: Proposed cuts would probably reduce staff and raise tuition

by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas February 19, 2015 @ 6:29 pmAugust 3, 2022 @ 11:34 am

Potentially facing painful cuts in funding from the state, leaders of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system on Thursday projected what it would take to close their deficits purely with tuition hikes or staff reductions. Most likely, some combination of both would be necessary, they said.

Education

Higher education cut, local school aid flat in Malloy budget

by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas February 18, 2015 @ 5:17 pmAugust 3, 2022 @ 11:34 am

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s budget proposal cuts support for the state’s public colleges and universities, provides level funding for state aid to school districts, offers financial aid to undocumented students, and would fund four new charter schools.

Education

CCSU president to professors: ‘Put contentiousness behind us and MOVE ON’

by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas February 4, 2015 @ 3:58 pmMarch 4, 2022 @ 10:36 pm

Jack Miller, the president of Central Connecticut State University, came to the defense on Wednesday of Transform CSCU 2020 — the embattled reform initiatives being considered by the 17-college system. Miller’s email comes just two days after the 10 of the 11 “CSU Professors” — the highest designation faculty at Central, Eastern, Southern and Western Connecticut state universities can receive — co-signed a three-page letter in which they complain the system’s president is taking the schools down the wrong path.

Education

CSCU after merger: Fewer faculty, higher central office costs

by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas February 3, 2015 @ 5:32 amMarch 4, 2022 @ 10:34 pm

Despite promises four years ago that merging the state’s community colleges and regional four-year universities into one system would save millions in administrative costs so more faculty could be hired, the budget for the central office has grown by $5.5 million and the regional universities employ 67 fewer full-time faculty.

CT Viewpoints

Online courses poor substitute for faculty at Connecticut state universities

by Melissa Hall February 3, 2015 @ 5:25 amAugust 3, 2022 @ 11:43 am

More online instruction is a poor replacement for college classes staffed by caring faculty members. If that’s what it has in mind, Connecticut’s Board of Regents for Higher Education should rethink its plan for transforming the Connecticut State College and University system.

Education

Top faculty tell legislators: No confidence in CSCU president

by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas February 2, 2015 @ 12:37 pmMarch 4, 2022 @ 10:35 pm

A group of distinguished professors notified legislators Monday they have lost confidence in Gregory Gray, the president of the state’s largest public college system.

Education, Politics

CT would have trouble financing Obama’s community college plan

by Ana Radelat January 27, 2015 @ 5:32 amAugust 3, 2022 @ 11:43 am

WASHINGTON – Gov. Dannel Malloy said he’d participate in President Obama’s plan to provide free tuition to community college students, but he’d find it tough to fund the program, given Connecticut’s tight budget and spending cap.

Education, Politics

Michelle Obama invites University of Hartford student to State of the Union

by Ana Radelat January 19, 2015 @ 8:58 amAugust 3, 2022 @ 11:43 am

WASHINGTON – Not long ago he Anthony Mendez lived with his family in an homeless shelter, now he will sit with First Lady Michelle Obama her husband’s State of the Union speech to the nation Tuesday night, Mendez, a University of Hartford freshman, was invited by the First Lady because he overcame serious challenges to become the first high school graduate in his family.

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